Improvement in erasive-tablet holders



v o. CLEVELAND.

ERASIVE TABLET HOLDERS.

Patented July 31,1877.

Lin/enter, 07298266 6261/6262? I i M r 'p I Qfin-Mfi Q HOGRAFHEH WASHINGTON n C ORESTES CLEVELAND, OFJERSEY CITY, New JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN ERASlVE-TABLET HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [93,795, dated July 31, 1877; application filed September 16, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORESTES CLEVELAND,

of Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Erasive-Tablet Holders, of which the following is a specification:

In the accompanying drawings, where like letters indicate like parts, are represented, in several views, the principal constructions and various modifications of my improved device, as will be specifically set forth in the following detailed description.

The invention is comprised in a new article of manufacture, which is adapted to securely retain one or more flat tablets of rubber or other erasive substance, and afford a holder or rigid griping-surface therefor, especially while being manipulated in obliterating penoil-marks.

The device consists, primarily, of asquare tube of metal, whose open end or ends is provided with means for retaining therein a tablet of elastic erasive substance. In its construction a blank of sheet metal is swaged into a square tube, A, whose open end is provided, on at least two of its sides, with flanges or lips 00, which are preferably formed by turning over the edges of the tube, so that they lie at an acute angle to the said sides of the tube. These flanges or lips need not neces sarily be continuous, as a series of short lips or points will serve the purpose equally as well; and, moreover, the flanges may be formed by curling the metal, either inwardly, as in Fig. 5, or outwardly, as in Fig. 7, to form a bead projecting into the tube. An erasive tablet, G, somewhat larger than the end of the tube A, may be inserted therein by being sprung or pressed into its open end, the elasticity of the erasive tablet and the inclination of the outer faces of the lips an aiding its introduction. When thus inserted the elasticity of the tablet C will cause it to impinge upon and grasp the lips at, whose inward projection and shape are such as to prevent its detachment from the .tube without the exertion of considerable force. The holder or tube may have one or both ends thus armed with retaining-lips, and when one end only is thus constructed the opposite end may be left open, as in Fig. 7, or be entirely closed by a metal wall or end plate, as in Fig. 4. The tube may be of different diameters at its opposite ends, as shown in Fig. 8, whereby it is adapted to receive and retain tablets of different sizes and materials, one serving as a pencil-mark eraser, and the other as an inkeraser. When the holder is formed from thick sheet metalitwillbefound of sufficientstrength to sustain the pressure ordinarily applied to the walls when grasped by the fingers during the operation of erasing pencil-marks, and when thinner metal is used it is provided with a supporting-block, B, of wood or any other suitable inexpensive material, which block may be forced into its interior, so as to snugly fit, and be retained in position by the walls of the tube, or be fastened in place by rivets, as in Fig. 9, or by inwardly-projecting teats. In some cases I prefer to remove one of the side walls, as in Fig. 9, or apart of the same, as in Fig. 10, in each instance preserving the lips a. The erasive tablet may then be slid in sidewise until it rests in its proper position. In the first of these modifications the top and bottom walls of its holder are sustained by the block B, to which they are shown to be fastened by rivets, though short lips might be turned down on or be forced into the block B to unite the said parts. If the tube remains whole in its central portion, as in Fig. 10, the block B may still be used to stiffen and support its walls. By this device the tablet may, when soiled, or its corners are worn to such shape as not to be adapted to the work to be performed, be withdrawn and reinserted, so as to expose a fresh portion-a square end or a corner--which capacity is not possessed by any of the common eraser tablet holders, which, for the most part, are either fixed wrappers or wooden or metal cases, from which the tablet is not removable, and which require the rubber to be inserted in them during their production.

In my improvement a separate article of manufacture may be furnished with its erasertablet-s by the user, and when the tabletis destroyed be readily provided with a new one. Thus the holder becomes a permanent article of desk-furniture, which may be supplied and resupplied with an erasive tablet, at the will of the user.

is provided with an edge flange or lip, for retaining the tablet of rubber; such a device is, therefore, not herein claimed.

What I claim, therefore, is-

1. An erasive-tablet holder consisting of a solid metallic tube, having its elongated end opening provided, on opposite sides, with lips or flanges projecting inwardly, substantially as described.

2. A tubular eraser-tablet holder, provided at its opposite ends with inwardly-flanged openings of different diameters, adapting it to receive and retain different-sized erasive tablets, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the tubular erasivetablet holder, having inwardly-flanged ends, and a central block or support, B, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,

ORESTES CLEVELAND.

Witnesses K. MORAE, P. GLENNON. 

